Such an apparatus is for instance known from EP 1 471 006 B1. The packaging machine disclosed in detail there is intended for wrapping a group of articles, consisting for instance of bottles, in a box blank having folding lines, and it comprises a package forming unit which starts with completely enveloping the group of articles that is placed on the box blank by the four the lateral surfaces of the box blank. The side flaps, which are aligned flush lengthwise in the conveying direction of the bundle groups and the box blanks, are folded in at right angles to the conveyor track, just like the base and/or lid flaps in the subsequent work steps. The side flap closers, which are clearly recognizable in the FIGS. 24 to 26, are provided for this purpose. These are two rotating, prong-like elements, which are arranged at both sides of the package conveyor at more or less the same height in relation to the conveying direction and which rotate in a plane that is parallel to the conveying plane, whereby these elements are coupled with the driving motor for the package conveyor by means of mechanical drive elements in order to allow precision-adjusted synchronization of the rotation in relation to the feeding movement of the packages. These elements are designed to fold in both the downstream and the upstream side flaps at the front or back ends of the passing boxes by 90 degrees. In order to be able to process boxes of different-sized formats, the disc-like side flap closers are designed to have two parts, whereby both parts can be manually twisted relative to each other for the purpose of format adaptation.
A similar apparatus for packaging containers using cartons made from box blanks is furthermore known from DE 697 27 898 T2.
An apparatus for producing, filling, and sealing packages and blanks made of cardboard is also known from CH 432 339 A. This known apparatus comprises conveying members and glue-application members for flat-lying box blanks as well as a folding station with a folding channel through which the blank is passed by means of a receiving die, which picks up the objects for packaging and pushes them into an extension of the folding channel by forming a U-shaped wrap and folding in the base flaps by means of folding tools. The folding tools consist of two folding members arranged mirror-symmetrically and pivotably on both sides of the package, whereby said folding members are integrated with an apparatus for discharging the package. Each of the folding members consists of two folding switches disposed in a staggered relation to each other, and it is provided with a feed roll. The folding switch adjacent to the swivel axis serves for turning over the two front side base flaps. The folding switch arranged at a greater distance serves for folding in the longitudinal base flap, while the feed roll arranged on the folding switch serves for discharging the package and simultaneously folding over the end flap.
Another apparatus for packaging articles is disclosed in DE 20 2005 014 345 U1. Instead of prong- or disc-like elements for folding in the side flaps, this known apparatus employs folding-in elements designed like rod-shaped fingers, which are arranged in movement direction offset at more or less right angles in relation to one another. The angle enclosed by the two fingers can, in particular, be exactly 90 degrees.
The folding-in apparatuses known from prior art require manual adjustments and resetting operations in the instance of changing the dimensions of the articles and/or boxes to be folded in. Further problems can arise from the relatively complex curve that the folding-in apparatuses have to trace in order to be able to fold two consecutive boxes that are being fed at nearly the same time. In addition, the spaces between the boxes can vary according to the pitch of the main conveyor chains. Very small chain pitches in the direction of movement together with very long boxes result in relatively small spaces and therefore only very short time slots for folding in the flaps. Kinematic limits may repeatedly ensue.